He had somewhat expected it, but the car ride was silent. The only hint of sound being the rushing wind against the windows, the soft hum of the engine, and the random bit of nonsensical chatter over the radio. He'd surmised that Min Baek-Hyun wasn't much of a speaker or an open book, and he didn't much mind the silence, but he didn't expect for him to just sit there silently the entire ride back to Seoul.
Did he already not like him?
Surprising. It usually took people a few more conversations with him to realize that he didn't have a very good personality; and he was used to that, but he felt it was a shame that Baek-Hyun had already come to that conclusion since he somewhat enjoyed his company, even though it was mostly silence. If anything, the silence made him feel a bit comfortable.
Still, that wasn't going to deter him much. The other person's feelings about him hardly ever did. Over the years, he'd grown accustomed to doing what he wanted regardless. It was his unique way of holding onto his sanity. Perhaps it was why his personality was so bad.
After a few more hours in silence, he couldn't help but turn to Baek-Hyun, wondering if he'd been asleep, though as he'd half expected, Baek-Hyun sat stiff, idly watching as the trees blurred outside the window. He'd only peeked at him on a whim, but now he'd noticed he was staring. In his defense, it was hard not to. Min Baek-Hyun was the most handsome man he'd ever seen. It made him curios.
"What do you do for work?" He spoke, acting on his curiosity, finally breaking the settled silence.
"What?" Min Baek-Hyun uttered in confusion.
"Or more specifically, do you happen to work in the entertainment industry?"
"No?" Baek-Hyun answered in question, confused as to what had brought on this line of questioning.
"Why?" Hae-Won asked, fully turning to gaze at Baek-Hyun for a moment. "It can't be that no one has ever tried to recruit you. Have you never modeled before?"
With a face like that, it was simply impossible for him to not have been sought out. Had he really never considered it? No, had he never looked at himself in the mirror?
"I have not," Baek-Hyun replied awkwardly, seemingly not wanting to broach the topic.
"Ah, but you've been asked to before?"
"Why are you so interested?" Baek-Hyun asked soberly, wondering where his curiosity peaked from.
Because you're my type.
Though he couldn't really give that answer. Not now when he was sure he wasn't well-liked by Min Baek-Hyun. He'd found himself thinking that if Min Baek-Hyun did have a job in the entertainment industry, he wouldn't mind offering to be his sponsor, but now that he was aware that he didn't, how else was he to keep his company.
"I was just curious. You seem like the type to get hounded by scouts."
At his statement, Baek-Hyun's posture shifted, his expression changing to a sheepish glance.
He was right.
"He's so easy to read," Hae-Won thought to himself, casually hiding the small smile that had sprouted on his face. "How cute." 
Hae-Won's expression caused Baek-Hyun to frown. He didn't like the face he was making. He could tell Hae-Won was thinking something along the lines of how amusing he was.

"I'm not," Baek-Hyun mumbled, the lie tasting a bit sour in his mouth. He had been approached countless times. He fist noticed he was better looking than most other people in high school, then there were the occasional persistent photographers lurking outside his university, the business cards slipped into his hand by smooth-talking agents. He’d always politely declined, uncomfortable with the attention, preferring to focus on stabilizing his life. 

Hae-Won raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Oh, really? I find that hard to believe." He didn't push further, though. From his little time with him, he could already tell what kind of person Baek-Hyun was. The self sacrificer.

"Then what about you?" Baek-Hyun spoke, his eyes fixed on Hae-Won with a hint of curiosity. "What do you do? Are you asking me all this because you're an actor or something?"

Hae-Won looked at him for a bit before changing the subject with a casualness that surprised Baek-Hyun. "So, are you single?"

Baek-Hyun blinked, taken aback by the sudden shift in conversation. "Uh, yeah," he replied, a touch of reluctance in his voice. He wasn't used to such directness, especially from someone he’d just met. He wondered why Hae-Won was so interested in his relationship status. What was he doing? He found it hard trying to read Hae-Won. He could never tell what he was thinking about, and when he said his thoughts aloud, more often than not, they were shocking.

The silence returned, but this time it felt different, charged with an unspoken energy. Baek-Hyun found himself glancing at Hae-Won, trying to decipher the enigmatic expression on his face. He was handsome, undeniably so, with a sharp, almost predatory air about him. He seemed confident, even arrogant, yet there was something else there, a hint of vulnerability that flickered beneath the surface.

After a while, Hae-Won yawned, stretching his arms above his head. "I'm getting tired," he said, his voice laced with a hint of fatigue. "Mind if we switch drivers?"

Baek-Hyun’s eyes widened slightly. "Oh, uh, sure," he stammered, his mind racing. He should have seen this coming when he reluctantly agreed to accept Hae-Won's offer for a ride but he was still hesitant to drive Hae-Won’s expensive car. What if he scratched it? What if he got into an accident? The thought made him sweat. "But… I’m not sure I’m the best driver. I haven’t driven in a while." He tried to subtly dissuade him.

Hae-Won chuckled. "Relax," he said. "It's just a car. Besides, I'm too tired to drive safely. You'd be doing me a favor. Don't you want to prolong the life you worked hard to save?"

Baek-Hyun hesitated for a moment longer, then reluctantly agreed. He pulled the car over to the side of the road, switched places with Hae-Won, and carefully slid into the driver's seat. The interior of the car was luxurious, with soft cushioned seats and a sleek dashboard. He felt a pang of nervousness as he gripped the steering wheel.

Hae-Won leaned back in the passenger seat, closing his eyes. "Wake me up in an hour," he murmured, his voice already drifting off.

Baek-Hyun nodded, his gaze fixed on the road ahead. He started the car and carefully pulled back onto the highway. The silence returned, but it was a comfortable silence this time, punctuated only by the soft purr of the engine.

He glanced at Hae-Won, who had fallen asleep. His face was relaxed in sleep, the lines of tension smoothed away. Baek-Hyun noticed the dark circles under his eyes, a sign of exhaustion. He wondered what Hae-Won did for a living that was so demanding. He seemed like someone who lived a fast-paced, high-pressure life.

Baek-Hyun drove in silence, his thoughts drifting. He thought about Hae-Won’s questions, his curiosity about his life. He wondered why Hae-Won was so interested in him. He was nothing special, just a quiet, ordinary guy.

About thirty minutes later, Hae-Won stirred in his sleep. He opened his eyes and looked at Baek-Hyun. "How long have I been asleep?" he asked, his voice still a little groggy.

"About thirty minutes," Baek-Hyun replied. He couldn't help but notice the dark circles under Hae-Won's eyes. "You looked tired," he added softly.

Hae-Won sighed with a sliver of emotion behind his eyes. "Yeah, I don't get much sleep," he said. He didn't elaborate, and Baek-Hyun didn't press him.

The rest of the drive to Seoul was quiet. Baek-Hyun focused on the road, while Hae-Won seemed lost in his own thoughts. As they approached the city, Baek-Hyun felt a mix of anticipation and nervousness. The closer they got to his destination, the sooner they'd have to talk about this, whatever this weird situation that had formed between them.

Finally, they arrived in Seoul. Hae-Won gave Baek-Hyun directions to his apartment, a sleek, modern building in an expensive neighborhood. As Baek-Hyun parked the car in the parking garage, he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. Everything about Hae-Won, from his clothes to his car to his apartment, exuded an air of wealth and sophistication. Baek-Hyun felt a pang of insecurity. He was so different from Hae-Won, so ordinary. He wondered if they could ever truly connect, or if their different backgrounds would always be a barrier between them.

"You live across the bridge right?" Hae-Won spoke, glancing down at Baek-Hyun's phone in his hand. "There are no buses running, so just take the car."

How did he get his phone? It was tucked away in his pocket. But more importantly, was this crazy guy really just lending his car out to someone he hasn't even known for a full day?

Reading his expression, Hae-Won chuckled lightly as he spoke. "I've saved your phone number and added mine on your phone so pick up when I call okay? You can return the car the next time you see me."

The entire situation had him so shocked and confused that before he could come to terms with what was happening, he was already sitting alone in the car with Hae-Won no longer in sight. 

Glancing at the time, Baek-Hyun let out a deep sigh. Responsibility, huh?